Global crude steel production in November jumped 5.8% year over year, the World Steel Association reported today. Need buying strategies for steel? Request your two-month free trial of MetalMiner’s Outlook Production from the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association hit 148.6 million tons (MT) in November, continuing an upward production growth trend that […]
Category: Ferrous Metals
This Morning in Metals: U.S. to Lift Sanctions on Russian Oligarch Deripaska’s Companies
This morning in metals news, the U.S. Treasury Wednesday announced it will lift its sanctions against companies owned by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska (which includes aluminum giant United Company Rusal), Chinese steel prices hit a five-week high and Alcoa cuts aluminum production amid a labor dispute at its Becancour smelter in Quebec. Need buying strategies […]
This Morning in Metals: E.U. Extends Steel Investigation
This morning in metals news, the European Commission has extended its probe of steel imports, steel production in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. ticked up last week and Chinese aluminum companies will reportedly come together to discuss falling aluminum prices. Need buying strategies for steel? Request your two-month free trial of MetalMiner’s Outlook […]
This Morning in Metals: Tokyo Steel to Hold Prices Steady in January
This morning in metals news, Tokyo Steel says it will hold steel prices steady in January, base metals prices fell Monday and Australian miner Fortescue announces its mid-grade iron ore production expectations for 2019. Need buying strategies for steel? Request your two-month free trial of MetalMiner’s Outlook Steady Steel Prices for Tokyo Steel After prices […]
Morning in Metals and Week in Review: Cars, Cuba and Brexit, Oh My!
This morning in metals, here are a couple news items that piqued our interest: China giving the U.S. a break in trade “war” by lifting the tariff on cars… According to a story originally reported by Bloomberg today, China will lift the 25% retaliatory duty on cars for three months (thanks, China!) in an effort to […]
Is Iron Ore Heading for Further Falls?
With all this talk of trade wars and weakness, both on the Shanghai stock market and in the Chinese currency, you would expect that steel production in China would be heading south fast. In actual fact, steel mills continue to churn out product at near-record levels and imports of iron ore remain robust. Need buying […]
Morning in Metals: Section 232 Tariffs Working? Competing Studies Duke It Out
This morning in metals (and commodities), a few news bits we’re following: OPEC forecasts fall in demand for cartel’s crude next year. “OPEC estimates the world will need 31.4m barrels a day of the cartel’s crude next year, 2.1m b/d less than demand from 2017, as production from US shale fields continues to swell,” according […]
Core Loss the Center of Grain-Oriented Electrical Steel Exclusion Requests
For large power equipment manufacturers, Section 232 comes down to two little words: core loss. Nobody explains the situation better than SPX Transformer Solutions in their Section 232 exclusion request for two grades of domain-refined GOES: “DR-GOES is one of the most expensive materials used in the manufacture of power transformers, and its cost equates […]
Morning in Metals: U.S. Steel Shipments Up, China Near-Term Non-Ferrous Outlook Weak
Here’s what we’re tracking this morning in metals: U.S. steel shipments are up in October. AISI has reported that U.S. steel mills shipped close to 8.2 million net tons in October, a 4.6% rise over the month of September — and a 6% increase from the 7.7 million net tons shipped in October 2017. In […]
Stainless MMI: Nickel Prices Fall, Stainless Surcharges Steady
The Stainless Steel Monthly Metals Index (MMI) dropped two points, bringing the index value to 66 points. The drop came as a result of lower LME nickel prices, while U.S. stainless steel surcharges held steady this month. Need buying strategies for steel in 2019? MetalMiner’s Annual Outlook has what you need LME Nickel LME nickel […]